And william melvob



(No Model). I 2 Sheets-Sheet .1.

J. F.;DUFPY 85 W. MOIVORY.

OAR COUPLING.

No. 295,860.; j

' AZEYEQRNEY N. Pans, PhotoLhMgm-kmr, Wahiagtan. n. a V V Patented Mar. 25, 1-884. 7

(No'ModeL) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J, P. DUFFY 85W. MGIVOR.

GAR COUPLING.

Patentd Mai. 25, 188 4.

wwmw m- INVENTOR ATTORNEY er. Washington. D4 c,

UNITED STATES PATENTFOFFICE.

OF ROCHESTER, INDIANA, ASSIGNORS WOLF, JOHN B. FIESER, DANIEL JONES, MGIVOR, ALL OF ROCHESTER, INDIANA.

onn PART TO CHRISTOPHER o. GEORGE W. HOLMAN, AND SAID CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 295,860, dated March 25, 1884.

7 Application filed July 18,1883. (No model.)

To all whom it ma concern: V a

Be it known that we, JAMES F. DUFFY, of South Chicago, Cook 'county, Illinois, and WV LLI M hIOIVOR,zOf Rochester, in the connty of Fulton and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplers; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact desoription of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same, reference being had .to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. 5

car-couplers capable of connecting high and low cars has been their inability to couple with cars having the common draw head and bar; or else, when capable of that function, the absence in their construction of a device which is the equivalent of the common link, so necessary in the performance of such an operation. The object of our invention is to remedy the defects and supply the deficiencies set forth in the above paragraph. This we accomplish by ,a draw bar and head having a link which is pivoted in the throat thereof to the contig uous end of a rod passing longitudinally and centrally into said draw-bar from the rear 0 end, and the head of which is so constructed as to render it as near as possible what it is designed to be-viz., a universal coupler the whole of which will hereinafter be more fully explained, and asillustratedin the draw- 5 ings, in which- Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section of two engaging couplers. Fig. 2,is a front or face View of an automatic coupler. Figs. 3

i and 4 aredetail views, showing the link with 0 and without a hook. Fig. 5 shows our coupler connecting with the ordinary draw-head. Fig. 6 is a section showing our hooked links interlocking. Fig. 7 is a'detail view. Fig. 8 shows the application andmode of operating 5 ourcouplers; and Fig. 9 is a detailview.

In the drawings, A represents the body of our draw-bar having suitable openings to lessen its weight, and having a head, A, the

Heretofore the greatest difficulty found with mouth of which is beveled inward, and the side walls of which are recessed or cut away transversely at a, near their vertical centers. This head is provided with avertical hole, a, for the reception of an ordinary coupling-pin, similar to the common draw-bar, and with vertical holes a in the side walls of the head, for the reception of couplingpins, wl1ich,when

in position, intersect vertically the space made by the recesses c a, which latter, it is now obvious, are intended to accommodate the side links of a three-mouthed. draw-head. The draw-bar A abuts against a suitable cushion, consisting of four bolts, B, secured at one end in a plate, 13', back of the rear end of the draw-bar, which pass longitudinally through suitable apertures in the abutting end of said draw-bar. Surrounding these bolts, between the end of the draw-bar and the plate B, are elastic rubber sleeves b b, and around each of these sleeves are placed coiled springs b b. The plate B has a heavy timber backing, as shown inFig. 8. Thus as the draw-headscollide the shock is greatly moderated by our' combined rubber and coiled-spring cushion. Passing longitudinally and centrally into i the rear end of said draw-bar, and extending to about the center of length of the same, is a rod, 0. It is provided at that end within said draw-bar witha knuckle, c, and at the opposite end, which is extended back to about the center of length of the car, it is connected to a similar rod from the draw-bar at the opposite end of the car by a turn-buckle, G. Surrounding the rod (J, between the knuckle c and the end of the draw-bar A, is a coiled spring, 1), and pivoted to the contiguous end of the rod 0,.on which is formed the knuckle, is the coupler-link E. This link E is beveled on both its upper and lower surface at its outer end, is provided with a longitudinal slot, 6, and has the double knuckles e on its inner end, between Which the knuckle on the contiguous end of the rod 0 oted to the same.

The link IE, it will be observed, may, when necessary, serve in the stead of an ordinary link, in which event an independent couppasses when it is pivling-pin must be used. When, however, two

of our draw-heads collide it is designed to obcurely held by abutting against the perpendicular wall thereof.

If desired, the links E may be provided on the under surface, near the free end, with a hook or shoulder, g. In such case it is intended that the under hook will engage with the catch F of the colliding draw-head, and that the hooked end of the link of said colliding draw-head will ride over the under link and drop and catch in the slot of the same. It is obvious, however,in order that the hook y can enter the slot of said link, its lateral dimensions must and do correspond to the width of said slot, substantially as shown in Fig. 3.

It will be noticed that the pivotal pin connecting the link and rod 0 extends through the sides of the draw-bar, which is slotted longitudinally, and are provided with nuts on their outer ends. This construction is only adopted to prevent any vertical play of the rod and yet permit its longitudinal adjustment. When there is any pulling strain upon the links and rods Gthe pressure on the springs D is felt and resisted at both ends of the car alike. Thus there is no sudden jerk when the car starts to move.

There may be various methods adopted to disengage our couplers; but those having the simple pivoted link we prefer to disengage by means of an arm arranged on a transverse shaft operated by a crank on the end thereof, so that it oscillates upward through a suitable opening in the bottom of a draw-bar, and bears against the under surface of the link, raising it upward until it escapes the catch of the colliding draw-head.

The principal feature of our coupler is its adaptability for coupling with all the ordinary and common forms of draw-bars and couplers, and yet forming an invention independent of and distinctive from them all, combining, as near as possible in the present state of the art, all the virtues of the ideal coupler.

What we claim as new is -1. A draw-head having the vertical side walls thereof cut away at or about their vertical centers, having suitable holes in the said side walls and in the transverse center of said draw-head for the reception of coupling-pins, and having a catch in the'mouth of the same, the outer surface of' which is beveled, as set forth. V

2. In a draw-bar, the combination, with a rod passing into the draw-bar from the rear, and having hinged to the end thereof, adjacent to the head of said draw-bar, a link, of a coilspring surrounding said rod within the drawbar, having one end preferably fastened to said bar, and the other end bearing against the closed end of said bar, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a draw-bar, of a cushion, consisting of four bolts secured in a suitable plate at one end and passing longitudinally into the rear of the said draw-bar, near the corners thereof, elastic rubber sleeves surrounding said bolt, and coiled springs surrounding said sleeves, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we hereunto affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES F. DUFFY. W'ILLIAM MOIVOR.

Witnesses:

J AMES H. CoYNE, FRANK D. THOMASON. 

